


Bad Dreams Leave Me When I'm With You

by AstraBabe



Category: Avatar: Legend of Korra
Genre: Awkwardness, Comfort, F/F, Fluff, Friends to Lovers, Nightmares, Sharing a Bed, just two old gay bitches being soft for one another
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-03-15
Updated: 2021-03-15
Packaged: 2021-03-23 17:42:07
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,017
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/30059172
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AstraBabe/pseuds/AstraBabe
Summary: Kya has night terrors. Lin is the only thing that helps, even after all these years.
Relationships: Lin Beifong/Kya II
Comments: 26
Kudos: 127





	Bad Dreams Leave Me When I'm With You

**Author's Note:**

> Premise is that Lin is staying on ATI for security purposes after the events of B3, so a while after Kya was yeeted off a cliff. 
> 
> Thank you to my amazing beta, TwinkleToes, and for their understanding of grammar. Because wtf even is that.
> 
> Enjoy!

It was nearly midnight and Lin had been staring at the same case report for an hour. She set it down on the bed amongst the sea of papers splayed out in front of her. She’d never had trouble staying up late to get work done, but the last few months had worn her down.

Rubbing her temples, she decided to give up for the night and go to bed. Lin stood, walking to the desk across the room to grab her folder when she sensed someone at the far reaches of the hall. She tapped her foot to the cool slate tile and tuned in.

They were slow. Uneven footsteps – a limp – and their heartbeat was fast. They were walking down the hall. She stiffened when she sensed the wanderer stop in front of her door. They hesitated. Then, a soft knock followed by a whisper.

“Are you awake?”

Lin exhaled in relief. It was Kya. “Yes, I’m awake.”

“Can I come in?”

“Door’s open.”

Kya turned the knob and peeked her head in slightly.

“Hey,” her voice was an octave higher than normal.

“You nearly gave me a heart attack. Why are you up so late?”

Kya opened the door further and leaned against the frame.

“I could ask you the same,” Kya said playfully, hoping Lin would continue the banter. 

She did not.

“Finishing work. Do you need something?”

“You know, I was up and realized that we haven’t talked much. It’s been a while; we should catch up!”

“You have this realisation now? At midnight?”

“No time like the present?”

Lin could feel Kya’s heart rate quicken.

She had been on the island for about a week and Kya hadn’t made any effort to seek her out. Which was fine she supposed, it’s not exactly like they had kept up with each other all these years. However, when she thought of it, she hadn’t seen much of Kya during the day. Lin would see her occasionally at dinner or sometimes pass her in the kitchen, Kya hunched over tea. She assumed Kya was still recovering from her injuries but taking her in now, her dark circles and bleary eyes, she thought there must be something else that was wrong.

“You’re a terrible liar. What do you need?”

Kya sighed. “I had a nightmare.”

Now it made sense.

Kya used to have nightmares when they were kids. Nightmare is an understatement – they had been full on night terrors. Lin had found out when she once stayed on the island and had made the mistake of sleeping across the hall from her. 

_She was awoken by a crash and a scream from Kya’s room. Rushing into her room, she saw Kya bolt upright with the covers and pillows thrown off her bed, a glass from her bedside table shattered on the floor._

_She stepped around the glass and made it over to Kya, who despite sitting up, did not seem fully awake. While she was not a hugger, it made sense in the moment, holding Kya until she calmed down and her crying had ceased to sniffles. Lin asked what happened and she still remembers the scratchy sound of Kya’s voice._ Bad dream. _It sounded so tired, so resigned._

_She helped put all the pillows and blankets back on Kya’s bed, but Lin felt a pang of guilt leaving her friend alone. So, she offered for Kya to sleep in her bed that night. Since then, if Lin stayed on the island and Kya showed up at her door, she didn’t have to say anything. Lin understood._

But, that was ages ago. Katara said the terrors would go away with time, but it was obvious to Lin that they didn’t. They could only be worse after the Red Lotus had attacked.

“I thought maybe we could talk. I can’t go back to sleep and wondered if you might be awake, so I went to see, and your light was on, so.…” Kya floundered in Lin’s silence. Talking would at least be a distraction from sleep. If she stayed alone in her room, she’d succumb to exhaustion, and then it would happen again. But she was aware of the implicit question her admission asked.

“I’m sorry, that was stupid.” Kya shook her head. “Bumi is probably up.” She ducked away from the doorframe.

“Wait,” Lin spoke up suddenly, realizing she had been silent. 

Kya halted and looked at her, Lin sitting up straighter.

“Look, I’m tired, and I don’t feel like talking. Do you just want to sleep here?”

Kya blinked in surprise. She didn’t expect Lin to offer.

“Are you sure?”

“It helps right?”

Kya nodded wordlessly.

“Then it’s fine. And get your own blanket. I’m guessing you still steal them?”

“You’d be right.” A small smile lifted at the corner of her lips.

Kya padded down the hall and Lin gathered her papers, shuffling them into a neat stack against the desk before placing them in the folder.

Lin was sitting on the bed taking the pins out of her hair when Kya re-entered. She watched Kya take a seat on the left side of the bed and set up her pillows. She spotted a familiar shape amongst Kya’s blankets.

“Is that Yoshi? Your stuffed air bison?” Lin asked, holding a bobby pin between her teeth.

“You remember his name?” Kya’s face reddened.

“Of course. I can’t believe you still have it.”

If Kya wasn’t mistaken, she could’ve sworn she heard Lin laugh ever so slightly, causing her cheeks to burn hotter.

“He helps me sleep.” Kya grabbed Yoshi and held him to her chest defensively. One of his button eyes hung by a thread and his fur was matted, threadbare in places, from being loved for so long.

Lin smirked amusedly. Kya, the unflusterable, flustered.

“I know you still have Badgey,” Kya retorted.

The smirk dropped from Lin’s face.

“Who told you?”

“You. Just now.”

Lin opened her mouth to speak but could only manage to grumble “Shut up.” 

Lin used her bending to collect the pile of hairpins and place them on the side table. From the corner of her eye, she saw Kya gather her hair to twist it into a tight braid. As she moved her arms up to her hair, the blue fabric of her nightgown rode up her leg. Lin looked away and took off her reading glasses, folding them up and placing them in their case.

She didn’t mean to notice that. Certainly not. It’s not like it was a tight nightgown. It was modest, knee-length and flowy. It was only happenstantial that it clung to her hips in such a way that – she stopped that train of thought.

“Are you all right?”

“I’m fine. I’m turning off the light now.”

Kya gave her a strange look but nodded, and Lin yanked the lamp chain.

For some reason, Lin thought things would be better if she turned the lights off, but of course she was proven wrong. She couldn’t see Kya, but now she could feel her and that was worse. Every little movement, even rise and fall of her breath, was betrayed by the shifting of the mattress. Lin was regretting her offer.  
Lin had always felt protective of Kya but, into their teens, Lin felt special that Kya, who was both older and taller than her, would show up at her room and climb into her bed for comfort. She could only go back to sleep if it was Lin beside her.

But was the bed always this impossibly small? How did they even fit in it together when they were younger? Well, she does know how actually. Kya would curl up and Lin would lie against her, her arm over her stomach. That was how.

It had just happened one night. Kya had been sleeping next to her and had begun to stir, another night terror threatening to start. It had awoken Lin, so she had thrown her arm around her, pulled her close, and it had stopped. After that, Kya would shove her as she got into bed and Lin would automatically reach out. It had stopped any night terrors before they could start. It wasn’t weird if it worked.

That’s what she used to do. Was she supposed to do that now? Did Kya want her to do that?

The tension was palpable as the question hung in both of their minds.

Lin tried turning very, very slowly to look at Kya when the bed creaked. 

_“You don’t have to,”_ Kya said quietly.

“I wasn’t-“

“Yep.”

A pause.

“Really, I wasn’t.“

“We don’t have to talk about it.”

Lin shut her mouth and lay completely still, not daring to move again.

But Kya moved and the sole of her foot ghosted Lin’s calf. Lin stopped breathing.

That’s right. Kya was a side sleeper. That’s okay. She always slept facing away from Lin. Except that one time she didn’t. She had turned around in Lin’s arms and suddenly the two of them were very awake. She didn’t remember who started the kiss, only that it had lasted longer than it should have. They stopped sharing the bed after that.

She had successfully not thought of that memory for _years_. Agni, why was she remembering all this right now?

Eventually, exhaustion quieted her disastrous thoughts and she fell asleep. She definitely was asleep for some amount of time until Kya’s tossing and turning and the sound of muffled cries roused her.

In her half-asleep stupor, Lin instinctively threw her arm around Kya and pulled her to her body.

* * *

The sensation was like a waking dream.

Warmth filled her chest, soft and yellow like a spot of sunlight. It emanated through her body, a comforting pressure against her skin, arms wrapped tight around something soft, familiar. Lavender. The scent filled her nose. She pressed closer, breathing deeply, and wisps of something feather light tickled her lips. She sighed. _Kya. ___

__“Lin?”_ _

__Lin opened her eyes. She was spooning Kya. And Kya was awake. And she said that out loud._ _

__She jolted upright and pushed herself to the edge of the bed._ _

__Kya, scared by the sudden movement, also sat up quickly._ _

__They stared at each other wide eyed, waiting for the other to speak._ _

__“I didn't -”_ _

__“You -”_ _

__“Is it -”_ _

__“I’m -”_ _

__They stopped attempting to form sentences and returned to staring, dumbfounded._ _

__Kya spoke up._ _

__“It didn’t bother me! If that’s why you're worried.”_ _

__Lin blinked._ _

__“It didn't?”_ _

__“No, it was the first time I’ve slept well in two months.”_ _

__“Two months?” Lin hadn't known the night terrors were going on that long. She wished she had known sooner._ _

__Kya nodded._ _

__“I’m certain was the only reason I slept at all.”_ _

__“If it helps prevent the nightmares, you can sleep with me. Here. I mean you can sleep here.”_ _

__“Thanks...It was nice.” Kya conceded with a shrug._ _

__“To finally sleep?”_ _

__”To be close to you.”_ _

__“Oh.”_ _

__“And I wouldn't mind it even when I’m not having nightmares.”_ _

__“Oh.”_ _

__Kya pretended to look around the room._ _

__“I’m still tired if you want to…”_ _

__“I do.”_ _

__Kya laid back down on her side and Lin laid behind her, throwing a blanket over them. She inched closer and draped her arm tentatively over Kya._ _

__“This is okay?” Lin asked._ _

__“It feels different, but it's good.”_ _

__“Different?”_ _

__“We’ve never been awake before. And, you’re a lot stronger now.” Kya chuckled and Lin felt the low rumble of Kya’s laughter in her chest._ _

__Lin squeezed her tighter and rested her chin on her shoulder. Kya hummed in contentment, shutting her eyes._ _

__Unsure what possessed her, Lin placed a kiss to her bare shoulder._ _

__She was afraid she had misunderstood when Kya tensed in her arms but was immediately reassured as she melted into her touch, pressing her body into Lin’s._ _

__“I missed you,” Lin whispered._ _

__Kya turned her head over shoulder and Lin’s heart raced. The smile that grew on Kya’s lips, full and bright, shone on her whole face._ _

__“I missed you, too.”_ _

__This time, Lin remembers starting the kiss._ _

**Author's Note:**

> Immediately after Bumi walks in and [this](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Sj7tlZ570w) happens.
> 
> If you enjoyed, please consider leaving a comment! They really brighten my day. 
> 
> Thanks for reading!


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